Blue Orchids. Orchids, also known as Orchidaceae, have crisp color, long-lasting bloom and are one of the most beautiful flowers around. Orchids come in all sizes, hues, including a beautiful blue shade.
It is a plant to brighten up your living space or your home — the plant guarantees to bring the dullest of interior spaces to a more exotic area.
If you take good care of them, Blue orchids can last for many years. They are rare, can spark its audience.
Beautiful Blue Orchids that can spark your home or garden
1. Cattleya
The Cattleya term is synonymous with orchids. The term applies to many people.
A spray of Cattleya flowers worn pinned to a woman’s clothes, used for any special occasion. The Cattleya has been called the Queen of Orchids for this matter.
Most Cattleya plants and others are easier to grow and care. With proper care, they can be grown anywhere.
To grow the plant, their requirements are only a few.
Cattleya light requirement
To thrive, grow well, and to flower consistently, the cattleya plant requires the right amount of light — about 65% to 70% shade.
The plant will tolerate more light if it is accompanied by enough humidity and airflow to keep the temperature low. Natural light varies according to the geographical location, the time of day, the season, and the weather.
Therefore, the plant needs as much light as in the winter months and late. The Cattleya plant prefers light shade in the late winter months and early spring months.
Temperature
The Cattleyas are found at high altitudes with moist and fresh air. When you grow the plant at home, provide the plant with maximum sunlight without more than average temperature.
The daytime temperature must range from about 60°F to 70°F in the winter. The plant would tolerate the night temperature at a minimum of 55°F.
During the summer, the ideal night temperature should be 60°F to 65°F, and the day temperature should be from 65°F to 75°F.
Under temperature above low 90°F, the Cattleya plants are likely to dieback of the leaf tips on the young developing growths. While more mature leaves are not affected.
High humidity and good airflow will compensate for more than the average day temperature.
Ventilation
In a region with a high humidity level, creating pure ventilation is practical. In many areas, with low humidity and temperature is high, ventilation can harm the plant by draining away moisture. Drying out the plants means retarding the growth.
In these kinds of climates, cool-mist humidifiers and fans set are the right solutions. Fans should run continuously since airflow at night is essential.
The Cattleya plant can benefit from the installation of good fans. If placed strategically, the fans will circulate the air throughout the house.
This practice will maintain the humidity level. The airflow keeps leaf temperature down. It also helps to avoid the stratification of moist air below the benches.
The Cattleya plant should be placed to avoid drafts. Sudden changes in temperature can damage most Cattleyas, especially in the winter months or on cold, windy days.
Humidity
The Cattleya plant thrives well when humidity ranges from 40% to 70%. Find in areas where the humidity level is high, or during cold weather, or cloudy, or rainy weather.
It is essential to add moisture to the growing area, especially during the day time. This matter can be accomplished in several ways.
You can use humidity trays or pebble trays. These pebble trays are nothing more than a water-holding tray filled with small rocks or gravels.
The gravel-filled shelves are filled with water to a level just below the surface. To avoid always sitting in wet gravel, place the plants on small saucers. It can also be a metal grid or pieces of plastic placed on top of the pebble trays.
You can also use a mist spray of the leaves that can be useful in bright hot weather. Do this in the morning or in the afternoon.
You can also use a humidifier to adjust the right humidity level.
Watering
The best water to use for the Cattleya plant is a clean form of water, such as distilled, rainwater, or reverse osmosis. Make sure to check if the potting medium is dry almost to the bottom of the pot.
The dry potting medium usually happens every week or so from the previous watering. Do not water the plant if the potting medium is wet.
Wait for another day or two. These Cattleya plants in clay pots can dry out within a couple of days. To avoid root rot, the Cattleya plant should never stand in water.
Soil requirement
The Cattleya plant will thrive well in most orchid mix soils. You can use perlite, charcoal, well-draining soil, pine bark, and clay pellets.
When grown outdoors, the Cattleya plant can be slab-mounted or attached to a tree host.
To attach or mount the Cattleya plant, first wrap the roots in moss. After that, wire the plant on top of a shelf. They are made of organic materials like driftwood or cork bark. Lastly, attach the Cattleya plant to a tree fern, tree trunk, or log.
Fertilizer
Some orchids can be grown and even bloom for years without applying fertilizer or just a minimal application. But if you consistently feed the plant weekly, this practice will give the Cattleya plant the proper nutrients to thrive.
The Cattleya plant is pleased with an essential 20-20-20 fertilizer at quarter strength. They are also happy with a 10-10-10 fertilizer at half strength.
You can also apply fertilizer for orchid once a week. During its dormant season, fertilize the plant every other week.
Do not overfertilize the plant that may cause foliage overgrowth. This overgrowth may send up stalks that do not produce flowers.
Too much fertilizer will harm and damage the roots and eventually can cause the plant to die.
2. Aganisia Cyanea
Aganisia Cyanea has the common name of The Dark Blue Aganisia. Scientific names: Kochiophyton caeruleum, Acacallis hoehnei, Acacallis caerulea, Acacallis cyanea, Warrea cinerea, Aganisia tricolor, Kochiophyton Negrense, is a species of the genus Aganisia. A man name Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach described this species in 1876.
Aganisia Cyanea is originated from Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil. These Aganisia Cyanea plants grow in flat, lowland forests in areas completely flooded during seasonal floods.
Size
It is a small-sized plant, which reaches a height of approximately 25 cm. The leaves are 7.5 cm wide. It has a visible, creeping, and slender rhizome.
The Aganisia Cyanea plant blooms in the late winter months until summer. The flowers are about 30 cm long, basal, slender flowers. These flowers are slightly longer than the leaves.
Its flowers arise from the base of a mature pseudobulb. The flowers are about 6.3 cm in diameter.
Light requirement
The Aganisia Cyanea plant requires a light level of about 20,000-30,000 lux. The location should be in direct sunlight. It is happy with filtered and dispersed light.
Strong airflow should be ensured at all times.
Temperature
The best temperature condition for the Aganisia Cyanea plant is 28 °C to 31 °C during the day. The ideal average night temperature is 21 °C.
Humidity
The Aganisia Cyanea requires a humidity level of 75-80%. It can tolerate around 70% of the humidity level during the three months of the dry season (late winter and early spring).
Watering
The best way to water the Aganisia Cyanea plant is to make sure the soil is slightly dry before watering. You should keep the soil moist during its active growth.
Do watering during summer and fall. In late autumn, the watering should be less.
The plant needs constant watering with very pure water only.
Fertilizer
During the period of growth, fertilize the Aganisia Cyanea plant every week with 1/4-1/2 of the recommended strength or dose. You can use any kind or brand of fertilizer for orchids.
You can also use fertilizers with reduced nitrogen content. The right time for this application is in the late summer and autumn months.
During the next season, you can increase phosphorus content to improve flowering and to strengthen new growth before winter.
To prevent the plant from accumulating mineral deposits during periods of much fertilization, rinse the containers every month. Rinsing is essential where the water is highly mineralized.
Potting soil
The best potting soil for the Aganisia Cyanea plant is a mix of peat moss into fir bark or orchid bark mix. You can mix two parts bark to 1 part peat moss.
You can also use a regular orchid potting mix. Usually, these potting soil is a well-draining soil.
3. Blue Dendrobium
The Blue Dendrobium plant is a native to the Southeast Asia region. The Dendrobium genus is one of the largest of all orchid groups.
The Blue Dendrobium grows in all manner of climates. They can be grown in wet lowland, high altitude, hot climate, and colder mountains.
Orchid lovers commonly divide Blue Dendrobiums into groups. These groups are based on their growing conditions.
All Dendrobiums plants are epiphytes. This term means these orchids may grow on other plants. The plant grows on the branches of trees.
Some plant species are deciduous. Some of them hold onto their leaves all year round.
Light requirement
The Blue Dendrobium plant can tolerate and require much more light than other commonly cultivated orchids. The best location for the orchid is in bright light conditions all year round.
During the winter months, these orchids can tolerate direct sunlight. In the summer months, the direct sunlight should be limited to a few hours in the late afternoon or early morning.
During the winter months, the orchid must be placed in a south-facing window. This matter also applies in the spring and autumn.
The orchid must be relocated to an east-facing window in the summer. Hot summer months may cause the leaf scorched.
If you see yellowing or fading leaves, brown shriveled leaf tips, or wrinkled leaves, this can be caused by excessive lighting. To fix this, relocate the orchid to a location with less intense light conditions.
Temperature
The Blue Dendrobium orchids are quite tolerant of many temperature conditions between day and night and throughout the year. Give the orchid plant a specific temperature, to encourage it to rebloom year after year.
During its active growing stage and blooming phases, (February to September), the orchid is happy at warmer temperatures of 65°F to 85°F or 18°C to 30°C. While during the cooler nighttime, it should have temperatures of not less than 54°F or 12 °C.
In October to January (Autumn), the Blue Dendrobium plant requires cooler temperatures. To maximize its bud and bloom development, give the plant variation between day and nighttime temperatures.
Humidity
The Blue Dendrobium plant is not as sensitive as other orchid species to humidity conditions. The best humidity condition for the plant is 50% to 70%.
If the humidity level is higher, you have to make sure the plant receives adequate ventilation. This is to reduce the risk of disease.
The Blue Dendrobium plant can receive an increase in humidity levels using a humidity tray, or grouping these plants together. It is recommended to monitor the humidity level of the growing environment with a hygrometer.
You can use a simple digital thermometer or digital hygrometer for the Blue Dendrobium plants to make sure you provide the best conditions.
Watering
The Blue Dendrobium plant requires watering may vary during the year. During its active growth in the summer, water well when the potting soil is slightly dry. You can use your finger to check the dryness of the potting soil.
You can also lift the container and judge whether the potting soil is dry enough. If it is dry, you can start the watering.
Try to make sure that you give the Blue Dendrobium orchid with adequate water during this time to maximize its growth.
You can only water by seeing the condition of the orchid and dryness of the potting media. You can not set a schedule or a certain number of days.
Each time you water the Blue Dendrobium plant, soak the potting soil with water thoroughly. Let the water run out the holes at the bottom of the pot.
Water well in the morning. To reduce the risk of fungal disease, increased light, heat, and ventilation during the day to let excess water to evaporate.
Potting soil
The Blue Dendrobium plant can grow attached to other plants. Make sure that the plant is potted in a very well-draining and well-aerated potting soil.
A good quality orchid mix will be beautiful to use, or you can make your own. You can mix an equal blend of perlite, coconut husk, and coarse pine bark. This mixture is known to be very successful with several orchid species.
Fertilizer
Fertilize the Blue Dendrobium plant with water-soluble orchid fertilizer. You can fertilize the plant every 1-2 weeks.
Apply the fertilizer at 1/2 the recommended strength. Fertilize more frequently with less power rather than with a stronger fertilizer.
The Blue Dendrobium plant can have a risk of getting root burn and nutrient toxicity if you overfertilize with healthy fertilizer. A half-strength fertilizer will reduce this risk significantly.
To wash away excessive salt, you can soak the potting soil completely at the end of every month.
Overfertilizing can cause too much green leafy growth, or not having enough energy for producing further blooms.
You can stimulate reblooming by stopping the fertilizing in October. Reduce watering and expose the Blue Dendrobium orchid to cooler temperatures.
Start fertilizing again when flowering has almost finished.
Pruning
After Blue Dendrobium plant has finished flowering, prune the flower spikes off close to the cane. Do not prune a rod that has finished flowering.
One particular cane can rebloom the following year. The rod contains a store of energy that the plant can use to grow new canes.
The same energy is used for vegetative growth, leading to bud and bloom development on a new cane. Pruning one old cane eliminates this energy source.
It is more difficult for the orchid plant to produce new canes the following flowering season.
4. Blue Mystique Orchids
The beautiful Blue Mystique orchids are attached to trees. Their roots are long and free. To thrive well, make sure to give the plant enough fresh air, moisture, rainwater, and enough light.
The plant is right to look at and easy to care for. Its flowers may last up to three months.
Their flowers may bloom twice a year if properly maintained. The Blue Mystique orchids have to be given the same growing conditions that you would provide to any Phalaenopsis orchid.
Light requirement
The plant needs to be placed in a shading location during the summer months. It is recommended to avoid getting direct sunlight.
Direct sunlight could damage the leaves and flowers. The best light condition is bright, indirect light.
To much light can result in smaller and fewer flowers, while not enough light may cause the leaves that are floppy and dark green in color. The ideal color of the leaves should be firm and medium green in color.
Temperature
The Blue Mystique Orchids is an ideal houseplant that can thrive in the temperature between 75 to 85°F or 23°C to 29°C during the day. The night temperature should be between 60 to 65°F or 15-18°C.
Normally, the temperature inside a house is almost within this range. The plant can not tolerate a sudden change in temperature. Place the plant far away from cold draft or heatwave.
Humidity
The Blue Mystique Orchids do not have pseudobulbs that can help them save and store moisture. The plant thrives well in 50-70% humidity levels.
The plant can tolerate lower humidity levels if the water requirements are achieved. When you see a dry condition, you can utilize a humidifier.
You can use a pebble tray if you are going to place the plant on a windowsill. Pebble tray can make sure that the plant does not directly stand on water.
If humidity is high, use a fan so that the air circulation is a constant.
Watering
The Blue Mystique orchid needs a regular basis watering throughout its growing season. Begin to water the plant in the early morning hours.
When the winter comes, reduce the frequency of watering. To avoid the excess of water, make sure to have well-drainage potting soil.
The orchids derive their nutrients from air and moisture. So, when their roots dry out faster when they are exposed.
You must water the plant properly. Always make sure that the potting soil is dry enough to start watering. Do not ever let the roots thoroughly dry out.
A potted Blue Mystique orchid is not exposed to air, which is why their roots do not dry rapidly. Overwatering the plant may cause the roots to rot. You should always keep the leaves dry to avoid crown rot.
Fertilizer
During the Blue Mystique orchids active growing stage, apply a balanced or 20-20-20 NPK formulation fertilizer. Mix 1 teaspoon of fertilizer in one gallon of water.
Fertilize every week. During the winter months and the flowering season, apply the fertilizer once a month. Overfertilizer should be avoided as that can cause salt buildup.
Salt buildup can damage the roots and can lead to slower overall growth.
Frequently ask question
Why won’t the orchid plant bloom?
The most common factors for these problems are: the plant does not receive enough light, overwatering or old potting soil that can cause poor root system, not enough temperature fluctuation, and using a wrong quality water source.
If you are not giving enough light, relocate the plant close to a window, no more than 3′ away at most.
Temperatures should fluctuate under 65°F during the night, and above 65-75° during the day. Usually, a 7 to 10°F of temperature fluctuation is needed to stimulate flowering for most orchids.
The water source should be clean. You can use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water.
Tap water usually has too many minerals. These minerals will slow down, damage, or kill root growth.
Why are the orchid’s leaves wrinkled?
Wrinkled leaves usually are caused by a lack of moisture that reaches the vegetative part of the orchid. Underwatering or overwatering is the cause of a lack of moisture.
Pull the plant out of the pot and examine the roots. If you see white or tan, spread, firm, throughout the mix, you need to increase the watering.
If you see the roots appear brown and mushy, you can trim them off. Start to re-pot into a new container with drainage holes. Decrease the watering. Do not let orchids to stand in water.
Why are the buds turning yellow and falling off?
A bud blast can be caused by these conditions:
The potting soil is too dry between watering. The moisture will go away from the buds.
You must check if the orchid was receiving direct sun, or the plant is near a heating heat or air conditioning.
Specific forms of ethylene or methane can stimulate bud to collapse.
The Cattleya plant, in particular, is susceptible to overwatering, causing the buds to turn black in the sheath.
All orchid plants need the right amount of light to flower correctly. By placing an orchid plant in the center of a room or on a coffee table is fine as long as it is placed in its growing area like near a window or under lights.
Why the orchid has dropped some leaves?
Almost all orchids drop leaves during their growing stage. The Phalaenopsis orchid’s bottom leaves will turn to yellow and eventually fall off when it begins to produce new growth.
White and purple Dendrobiums plant often drop all their leaves on each cane after blooming. Old leaf growth naturally drops once new growth starts to come out.
When the mature leaves turn yellow or fall off, this may be the sign of a bacteria or fungus problem. You can fix the problem using a bactericide or fungicide spray.
During the dormant season, orchids may drop all of its leaves. Orchids with no leaves at all, it is most likely dead. You must scrutinize the plant, and see if the most giant leaves or new growth are changing colors.
